Building block



March 14, 1939. M,GOCHNAUER BUILDING BLOCK Filed Sept. 3, 1937 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to the structure 'of an artificial masonry wall and to the several species of block which are combinatively related in the fabrication of the wall.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a wall of face blocks having diagonal ribs on the back, which when the blocks are laid in staggered courses arrange themselves in a lattice system of diagonal struts or bracing members on the back of the wall. 7 I

Another object of the invention is to provide a wall of the character described composed in general of relatively thin faced block's bounded by relatively wide mortar flanges, and diagonal depthwise extending ribs, the latter extending from the corners on one side of the block to the middle of the opposite side forming a stirrup adapted to receive and support a joist or girder.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in an artificial block wall having the diagonal bracing system as described, with interdigitat ing corner blocks where two such walls meet angularly, said corner blocks being formed with channels extending heightwise of the wall and forming in the aggregate a vertical tubular recess with lateral perpendicular ofifsets adapted to receive a poured concrete key, reinforced with metal, if desired, binding the two walls together in amonolithic joint. e V H Still another object of the invention relates to the blocks per se, the typical block with the oblique ribs, the corner block with the key-receiving channel and a half or filler block adapted to be employed at the sides of the openings where two walls do not join.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of the following specification and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a view partly in rear elevation and partly in section of two angularly joined walls embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2--2 of Figure 1; U I

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of a normal or typical block;

Figure 6 is a cross section taken along the line 66 of Figure 5; I

Figure '7 is a rear elevation of a half block;

Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 of Figure '7 V Figure 9 is a rear elevation of a corner block. These are to be made in rights and lefts;

Figure 10 is a cross section taken along the line I0l0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a cross section taken along the line i!-ll of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is across section taken along the line 'l2--I2 of Figure 9; and

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the integrally poured reinforced key which joins the corners.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral I represents in general a wall which is madeup of the typical blocks 2, corner blocks 3 and half blocks 4. concrete or the like and in order to understand the construction of the wall, the structure of the blocks per se, will first be described.

Figures 5 and 6 show that the normal or typical block 2 has a face 5, upper, lower and lateral bounding or mortar flanges 6, and a middle rib 'l which extends depthwiseto the same vertical plane which embraces the inner faces of the bounding flanges. The typical block is also formed with oblique ribs 8 and 9 which extend from the opposite corners l0 and II at one side of the block to the middle part I2 of the opposite side of the block. The terminal and middle portions ofthe ribs 8 and 9 are flush with the plane surfaces of the sides of theblock to which they are adjacent. The ribs 8 and 9 preferably extend depthwise to a greater distance than the bounding flanges 6 and form a V or stirrup which is fiat as at l3 within its apex, the fiat portion forming a seat for a girder l4, several of which girders are illustrated in the lower portion of Figures 1 and 2, carrying the floor slab $3. The typical blocks are laid in staggered rows so that the adjacent corner portions Ill and II of ad- 1 jacent blocks underlie the middle portion I2 of tem referred to in the objects of the invention.

Since theoretically the load which the wall sustains is transmitted at least in part through the diagonal struts, it is obvious that where the The blocks are cast of struts terminate in the lateral edges of the wall,

provision must be made for tieing in the corner can blocks of the several superposed courses. This is accomplished by modifying the structure of the corner blocks.

Referring to Figure 9, it will be observed that the right hand half of the corner block 3 is identical with the corresponding half'of the normal or typical block 2 shown in Figure 5, but that the left hand side of the corner block is different inasmuch as the oblique rib 9 is omitted and in its stead two vertical ribs l5 and I6 are provided and forming between them a vertical channel IT. The mortar flanges I8 and I9 partially over and under hang the. channel IT. The corner blocks 3 are made in rights and lefts so that they can be set in interleaved relation in perpendicularly joined walls with the halves having the ribs l5 and I6 and the channels I! at the corner and in superposed relation.

It will be understood that one, looking downward upon a corner fabricated from these corner blocks, will find a vertical tubular passage constituted by the series of superposed channels I! and that this passage will not be of uniform diameter, but will be subject at intervals to constructions formed by the over and under hanging mortar flanges I8 and i9. Figures 3 and 4 show that metallic reinforcing rods 20 have been let down into this tubular passage and that concrete has been poured to flll said passages, embedding the metallic reinforcement and joining the interleaved blocks of the two walls into a monolithic structure. The protuberances 2| shown on the key 22 in Figure 13 represent portions of the concrete filling the wider parts of the tubular passages which lie between the constrictions. V Figure 2 illustrates a plurality of cleats 23 embedded in the mortar joints between the blocks, having an inclined end 24 so that they cannot rotate and being turned up as at 25 on the opposite end. These cleats serve to hold an inner wall or finish 26 in spaced relation to the back of the wall for purpose of insulation. The inner finish 26 is held in place by means of wires or the like passing through said finish and being aflixed in suitable manner to the cleats 25.

Figure 1 shows also the technique employed in connection with the wall of the present invention in relation to a window opening 21. Here alternate courses terminate in, corner blocks 3 and the other alternate courses are finished out with a half block '4 which, as shown in Figure '7, is identical in structure with the left hand side of the corner block 3, that is to say, the side having the ribs l5 and I6 and the intervening channel IT. The half block 4 has corresponding ribs 28 and 29 and the intermediate channel 30 overhung and underhung by the mortar flanges 3| and 32. When the half blocks 4 are in place be tween the projecting ends of two corner blocks, the outside faces of the corner blocks and half block are in the same vertical plane which represents one side of the window opening, and the channels I! and 30 are in vertical alignment. These may receive a metal reinforcement and may be filled with poured concrete,'if desired, so as to make a monolithic bond at the side of the window. Figure 1 shows that an angle iron or lintel 33 spans the width of the window opening having its outer ends embedded in the mortar courses between two courses of blocks, said angle iron forming a seat for the blocks 2 which are above the window opening.

In Figures 1 and 3, a metallic window frame 34 is shown. This fltsinto the window opening and has lateral flanges 35, by means of which the frame is kept in place, said flangesbeing clamped against the block structure by means of a nut 36, Figure 3, screwing on an embedded bolt 31. Another nut 38 screws on the bolt 31 in an in or out direction and serves as a stop for correctly positioning the inner wall or finish 26.

The bottom of the window opening is bounded by a metallic angularsill or angle iron 39 which extends quite a distance between adjacent blocks on either side of the window opening in order more uniformly so as to distribute the load over an extensive surface. The vertical flanges .of the angle irons 33 and 39 are against the inner faces of the blocks and being back of the inner or finishing wall 26 are out of sight. A concrete sill 40 may be provided, if desired, resting upon the angle iron or sill 39, but this does not form any part of the invention.

It will be understood from the above construction that by the use of three types of block in combinative relationship as described, a wall may be fabricated which is thoroughly diagonally braced and in -which the diagonal components of the load force are completely absorbed by the wall 'through the monolithic tieing in of the corner blocks by the reinforced poured key 22. It will 'be obvious to'those skilled in the art that the blocks per se, may be light in weight and structure, with relatively thin faces, but without impairment in the strength of either the block or wall to the provision of the broad mortar flanges which bound the blocks, and the heavy oblique ribs by means of which the load forces are transmitted and distributed. If desired, the block itself may be reinforced as is indicated in Figures 5 and 6, a metallic rod 4| being embedded in the ribs 8 and 9 while metallic mesh material 42 may be embedded in the face as well as in the mortar flanges, as shown.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and arrangement of parts as illustrated and described are by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Wall construction including blocks laid in superposed courses, with the vertical joints between said blocks symmetrically staggered, so

that the joint. between two blocks comes adjaing from the corners on one side to the middle on the opposite side and ofrgreater. depth than said mortar flange, the blocks being so arranged that the ribs on the adjacent blocks forming a vertical joint align themselves diagonally with the 3. A molded block having a face and bounding flanges perpendicular to said face forming a recessed back, said block being formed with oblique ribs on the back extending from the corners on one side to the middle on the opposite side, in a v formation, with a flat face in the apex of the V, adapted to serve as a seat for a joist.

4. A molded block having a face with bound-- ing flanges perpendicular to said face forming a recessed back, said block having oblique ribs of uniform depth on the back extending from the corners on one side to the middle on the opposite side of said block, said ribs extending depthwise beyond said bounding flanges.

5. A molded block having a face with bounding flanges perpendicular to said face forming a recessed back, said block having an oblique load bearing rib on the back extending from a corner on one side to the middle of the opposite side and being of greater depth than said bounding flanges.

6. A molded block having a face with bounding flanges perpendicular to said face forming a recessed back, said block being formed with an oblique load'bearing rib on the back extending from a corner on one side to the middle on the opposite side, and having spaced vertical load bearing ribs defining between them a channel, said oblique and vertical ribs extending depthwise beyond said bounding flanges.

7. Wall construction, comprising a panel adapted to abut on one side, a vertical support, and forming on the other, a free corner, said panels consisting of blocks in superposed courses, with the vertical joints between said blocks symmetrically staggered, said blocks having faces and recessed backs bounded by motor flanges, said blocks being of three types, body blocks, which do not form the free corner, having oblique diagonal stress transmitting ribs of greater depth than said motor flanges, extending from opposite ends of one longitudinal edge to the middle of the opposite longitudinal edge, corner blocks, which form said free corner and which also terminate alternate courses of said panel against said support, each having half of the back portion identical with half of the back portion of the body block, and having the other half of the back portion formed with vertical ribs having a depth substantially that of said oblique ribs, forming between them a vertical channel, and half blocks identical with the channeled halves of said corner blocks, filling the end spaces in alternate courses between the projecting corner-type blocks which abut said support, said half blocks having their channels in alignment with the channels of the projecting halves of said corner blocks, said body and corner blocks being so arranged that the oblique ribs form a latticed system of diagonal bracing and that the channels of said corner blocks and half blocks form a continuous vertical passage to receive a concrete key.

8. Wall construction including the superposed portions of end blocks in perpendicular courses, said superposed portions each having a face with bounding flanges perpendicular to said face and forming therewith a recessed back, said block including spaced perpendicular ribs on the back defining between them a channel, the cross sectional area of which channel is constricted at the top and bottom of said block by said bounding flanges, said superposed portions forming with the ends of the adjacent blocks in the respective courses of said end blocks a continuous vertical passage to receive a concrete key.

MARSHALL GOCHNAUER. 

